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Horse barred from Grand National for ‘unruly’ behaviour despite seeing therapist
A horse has been banned from competing in the Grand National due to ‘unruly’ behaviour. Mr Incredible was an outsider for the iconic 34-horse race at Aintree on Saturday but has now been ruled out. One horse has been banned from competing at this year’s Grand National The horse has not completed a race since March 2024 and has refused to race or pulled up in each of his last four outings. Owned by Winter Olympian James Manclark, the British HorseRacing Authority (BHA) intervened and questioned whether Mr Incredible had showed sufficient form during a recent race when he started the race before pulling up. He was referred to the BHA by stewards who said he was ‘unruly’ after pulling up after the 14th fence. Horse therapist Freddy Steele has been working with Mr Incredible for the past seven weeks and claimed that the horse was showing ‘progress’ and was responding well to the use of ‘natural horsemanship’ technique. The nine-year-old has won two of his last 16 races, finishing second on four occasions. But after pulling up in three of his last four races and refusing to race in the other, his behaviour has been under scrutiny. Now it has been decided that he won’t be able to feature in the Grand National. A British HorseRacing Authority (BHA) statement said: “Each horse entered to take part in any race over the Grand National fences must undergo a review by the National Fence Review Panel, a highly experienced group including former jockeys, veterinarians, clerks of the course and stewards who carefully consider each horse’s suitability to take part. “The panel carefully assesses each horse’s ability, fitness, recent form and overall readiness for its intended race and works closely with connections of any horse about which it has concerns before a decision on its participation is reached.” “I am desperately frustrated, annoyed and sad,” said Scottish trainer Sandy Thomson. The Grand National is set to take place on SaturdayGetty “James [Manclark] is pretty devastated, he has been trying to get this for three years and we found him a horse, and his health comes and goes. Our aim is now to get the horse to run next year.” He continued: It was 100% the BHA’s decision. We appealed it. Their concern was that he would disrupt the start. “My defence was that he has never disrupted any start. “Having got him started at Kelso I saw no reason why he wouldn’t start in the Grand National, and having more horses around him would have helped. “The other thing they said was about his recent form, but their criteria said they would take into account the last six runs and that included second in the Midlands National. “It was a totally unsatisfactory situation.”
A horse has been banned from competing in the Grand National due to ‘unruly’ behaviour.
Mr Incredible was an outsider for the iconic 34-horse race at Aintree on Saturday but has now been ruled out.
The horse has not completed a race since March 2024 and has refused to race or pulled up in each of his last four outings.
Owned by Winter Olympian James Manclark, the British HorseRacing Authority (BHA) intervened and questioned whether Mr Incredible had showed sufficient form during a recent race when he started the race before pulling up.
He was referred to the BHA by stewards who said he was ‘unruly’ after pulling up after the 14th fence.
Horse therapist Freddy Steele has been working with Mr Incredible for the past seven weeks and claimed that the horse was showing ‘progress’ and was responding well to the use of ‘natural horsemanship’ technique.
The nine-year-old has won two of his last 16 races, finishing second on four occasions.
But after pulling up in three of his last four races and refusing to race in the other, his behaviour has been under scrutiny.
Now it has been decided that he won’t be able to feature in the Grand National.
A British HorseRacing Authority (BHA) statement said: “Each horse entered to take part in any race over the Grand National fences must undergo a review by the National Fence Review Panel, a highly experienced group including former jockeys, veterinarians, clerks of the course and stewards who carefully consider each horse’s suitability to take part.
“The panel carefully assesses each horse’s ability, fitness, recent form and overall readiness for its intended race and works closely with connections of any horse about which it has concerns before a decision on its participation is reached.”
“I am desperately frustrated, annoyed and sad,” said Scottish trainer Sandy Thomson.
“James [Manclark] is pretty devastated, he has been trying to get this for three years and we found him a horse, and his health comes and goes. Our aim is now to get the horse to run next year.”
He continued: It was 100% the BHA’s decision. We appealed it. Their concern was that he would disrupt the start.
“My defence was that he has never disrupted any start.
“Having got him started at Kelso I saw no reason why he wouldn’t start in the Grand National, and having more horses around him would have helped.
“The other thing they said was about his recent form, but their criteria said they would take into account the last six runs and that included second in the Midlands National.
“It was a totally unsatisfactory situation.”
